This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to fluid handling equipment and, in particular, fluid handling equipment for applications involving a variety of fluids. Some of these fluids may include solids (e.g., particles, powders, debris, particulates) and/or contaminants (e.g., viscosifiers, chemical additives, or any fluids that are undesirable for bearing lubrication), which may interfere with the operation of the fluid handling equipment. Fluid handling equipment may be used in a variety of applications. For example, fluid handling equipment may be used in hydraulic fracturing, in a drilling application (circulating drilling fluids and/or mud), or similar processes. In particular, well completion operations in the oil and gas industry often involve hydraulic fracturing (commonly referred to as fracking or fracing) to increase the release of oil and gas in rock formations. Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping a fluid containing a combination of water, chemicals, and proppant (e.g., sand, ceramics) into a well at high pressures. The high-pressures of the fluid increases crack size and propagation through the rock formation releasing more oil and gas, while the proppant prevents the cracks from closing once the fluid is depressurized.
Fracturing operations use a variety of rotating equipment, such as a hydraulic energy transfer system, to handle a variety of fluids that may include solids (e.g., particles, powders, debris, particulates) and/or contaminants (e.g., viscosifiers, chemical additives, or any fluids that are undesirable for bearing lubrication). In certain circumstances, the solids may prevent the rotating components of the rotating equipment from rotating. Thus, the rotating equipment may be taken out of service to enable the solids to be removed and/or enable the rotating components to be rotated. In some situations, lubrication systems may facilitate the rotation of the rotating components within the hydraulic energy transfer system. However, the fluids utilized within the lubrication systems may include additional solids or contaminants, such as particles, powders, debris, and so forth, and these solids or contaminants may have negative impacts on performance of the rotating components (e.g., decreased performance/efficiency, abrasion to components, etc.).